River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-06-02

Commodore William f. Davidson of st.
/ Paul, died at his residence in that city
! Thursday evening" May %. Tuesday night
/ he suffered a stroke VI paralysis of his left
| side and lapsed intO~an unconscious state
| from which he rallied after a few hours
and retained his faculties until the last
| moment, conversing with his family
/ and attendants, debating his will,
and taking ais farewells of those most near
/ and dear to him. He was fully aware of
his condition and in reply to a question if
he afraid to die responded with his
| characteristic mental force, mo, not at all.
| Why should | be afraid TO die During
| Wednesday and Thursday he suffered much
pain, but was composed and ready for the
end speaking intelligibly ten minutes be
fore his eyes were closed for his last, his
long repose
Commodore Davidson was born February
4. 1925, i'm Lawrence County Ohio, his faith
er being employed on the Ohio Canal, also
giving portion of his time TO duties as a
local Baptist preacher. The boy had scant
opportunities for education. but took to his
fathers avocation, and by the time he was
twenty years of age was the owner of two
boats that ran on the Ohio and Big Sandy
Rivers. Later bis boats ran on the Ohio and
Mississippi. In 1854 he arrived at St
St Paul with his steamer. the
Frank Steele and from that time his life
work was Unidentified with that city and the
Northwest. He first opened a packet line
on the Minnesota river and later on the
Mississippi river and soon had fifteen boats
of his own running down the river to
Dubuque and then TO st. Louis and from
1854 to this time his history and the Mis-
sissippi river traffic are identical, through
the La Crosse d Minnesota Packet Com
pany and later the ST. Louis a. st. Paul
Packet Company, he being at the head of
each organization.
In the year 1856 he married the daughter
of Judge Benjamin johnson of Southern
Ohio, and made his home at st. Paul, where
he has since resided, with an interval of
about ten years which he spent in st Louis
experimenting his large steamboat enter
prises To Commodore Davidson more
than TO any other one man known to its his
tory, does St Paul owe its commercial
prominence and prosperity, foI by his
grasp, enterprise, courage and I'M
firing industry, in the pioneer days,
before The railroad era, he laid the founda-
tioIl through his transportation lines for the
great city that now laments his loss. Nor
was his steamboat enterprises the sole
object of his work C'3i ambitions He early
became a considerable owner of real estate,
constantly adding to his holdings. until
now his estate in this branch is estimated
at S3.000.00O, Including the Grand Opera
House, Union block, Davidson block, and
other prominent aud valuable business
property, together with residence property
and unimprOved lots and tracts.
In his pers nal life be was one of the most
nndsSumlng and genial OF men, always ap
proachaSle but always busy. He was an
interchangeable worker, and found no time for
real rest or recreation. but early and late
was devoted TO his extensive, engrossng
and exacting affairs, and TO this constant
and mighty strain is due the fact of his early
death, the sudden and almost unnoticed
sundering of his forces. He was generous
TO fault and public-spirited
in WAYS and avenues that viii long
remembered and sadly missed. At an early
age he became a member of the Baptist
church aud was ever promoter ofmorality
and the good OF society, with a religious
faith that was a part of his nature. His
immediate family, now bereaved are his
wife. q son. aged -. and a daughter aged
Il several children having been taken from
him by death The CITY and the State may
well lament the loss of such man. one who
had the opportunity, the ability and the in
clinafion to stand and labor for the perma-
nent progress and prosperity Of ali his fell
low men.
THE FUNERAL
OF Commodore Davidson took place Sun
day afternoon from his late residence in St
Paul and was attended by an immense
throng. conspicuous among the number be-
ing the older residents of the city. Rev. Dr.
Maclarsn, tue pastor of the deceased con
ducted the service. The burial vas az